Description
Chemistry technicians monitor chemical processes and conduct tests to analyse chemical substances for manufacturing or scientific purposes. They work in laboratories or production facilities where they assist chemists in their work. Chemistry technicians perform laboratory activities, test chemical substances, analyse data and report about their work.
Duties
The duties of a chemistry technician include, but are not limited to:
- Understanding and following the instructions and specifications of engineers, scientists, chemists, and other researchers.
- Selecting and setting up the required lab equipment for tests, experiments, and analyses.
- Conducting lab tests for qualitative and quantitative analyses of various substances and materials.
- Assisting with the preparation of chemical solutions.
- Keeping the laboratory neat and clean and sterilizing all work surfaces and equipment.
- Regularly inspecting materials and equipment and ordering more as required.
- Training and monitoring other workers involved in chemical processing.
- Working alongside other engineers, chemists, and scientists to develop improved production processes and methods.
- Interpreting test results and compiling technical reports.
- Keeping up-to-date with field advancements and sharing new knowledge with colleagues.
Technicians who work in laboratories may help conduct experiments that contribute to research and development. For example, some chemistry technicians help chemists and other scientists develop new medicines.
Other chemistry technicians work in manufacturing, where they may assist in monitoring quality, maintaining equipment, and improving production processes.
Typically, chemists or chemical engineers direct chemistry technicians’ work and evaluate their results. Most chemistry technicians work on teams, but they also may be required to work independently on projects. Experienced technicians may serve as mentors to technicians who are new to a lab or to a specific area of research.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to chemistry technician:
production chemistry technician
manufacturing chemistry technician
radiochemistry technician
nuclear chemistry technician
chemistry assistant
chemical test technician
chemistry laboratory technician
chemistry laboratory assistant
chemical technician
chemistry lab technician
chemical analysis technician
nuclear laboratory technician
Working conditions
Most chemistry technicians work in clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated laboratories. Workers are protected from dangerous fumes and chemicals. Sometimes they must spend hours on their feet or seated in front of a laboratory bench. Many laboratories are operational seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. The beginning technician is usually assigned shift work. Experienced technicians work day shifts but may come in at odd hours to complete an experiment, inspect equipment, or solve a production problem. Sometimes they may be assigned night or weekend shifts, especially if they are working on a production line.
Chemistry technicians usually work in small teams with other technicians, chemists, or engineers. They must be able to work well with these people as well as with the production workers that they may be supervising. They must be able to follow directions exactly and need to pay close attention to safety. Their work requires a great deal of patience.
Minimum qualifications
Chemistry technicians typically need an associate’s degree or 2 years of postsecondary education in applied science or chemical technology. Some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in those or related fields, such as biology or physical science. Other employers may consider candidates who have a high school diploma.
Technical and community college programs in applied sciences or chemical technology typically include courses in math, physics, and biology in addition to chemistry. Coursework in statistics and computer science is also useful for learning data analysis and modeling.
Courses that include a laboratory component provide students with hands-on practice in conducting experiments and proper use of instruments and techniques. Participating in internships and cooperative-education programs while attending school helps students gain experience.
ISCO skill level
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
- the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
- the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
- the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
Chemistry technician is a Skill level 3 occupation.
Chemistry technician career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to chemistry technician.
chromatographer
chemical processing supervisor
chemical processing plant controller
material testing technician
gas station operator
Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of chemistry technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of chemistry technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
analytical chemist
pharmaceutical quality specialist
assayer
chemist
chemical tester
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of chemistry technician.
- Chemical products: The offered chemical products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
- Chemical processes: The relevant chemical processes used in manufacture, such as purification, separation, emulgation and dispergation processing.
- Laboratory techniques: Techniques applied in the different fields of natural science in order to obtain experimental data such as gravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, electronic or thermic methods.
- Health and safety regulations: Necessary health, safety, hygiene and environmental standards and legislation rules in the sector of particular activity.
- Basic chemicals: The production and characteristisc of organic basic chemicals such as ethanol, methanol, benzene and inorganic basic chemicals such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of chemistry technician.
- Perform laboratory tests: Carry out tests in a laboratory to produce reliable and precise data to support scientific research and product testing.
- Handle chemicals: Safely handle industrial chemicals; use them efficiently and ensure that no harm is done to the environment.
- Mix chemicals: Mix chemical substances safely according to recipe, using the proper dosages.
- Maintain laboratory equipment: Clean laboratory glassware and other equipment after use and inspect it for damage or corrosion in order to ensure its proper functioning.
- Analyse chemical substances: Study and test chemical sustances to analyse their composition and characteristics.
- Contact scientists: Listen, reply, and establish a fluid communication relationship with scientists in order to extrapolate their findings and information into a varied array of applications including business and industry.
- Improve chemical processes: Collect data required to make improvements or modifications to chemical processes. Develop new industrial processes, design new process plants/equipment or modify existing ones.
- Transfer chemicals: Transfer the chemical mixture from the mixing tank to the storage tank by turning on the valves.
- Perform chemical experiments: Perform chemical experiments with the aim of testing various products and substances in order to draw conclusions in terms of product viability and replicability.
- Manage chemical processes inspection: Manage the chemical in-process inspection, making sure the inspection results are documented, the inspection procedures are well written and the checklists are updated.
- Apply safety procedures in laboratory: Make sure that laboratory equipment is used in a safe manner and the handling of samples and specimens is correct. Work to ensure the validity of results obtained in research.
- Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
- Work with chemicals: Handle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.
- Test chemical samples: Perform the testing procedures on the already prepared chemical samples, by using the necessary equipment and materials. Chemical sample testing involves operations such as pipetting or diluting schemes.
- Manage chemical testing procedures: Manage the procedures to be used in chemical testing by designing them and conducting tests accordingly.
- Use chemical analysis equipment: Use the laboratory equipment such as Atomic Absorption equimpent, PH and conductivity meters or salt spray chambre.
- Assist scientific research: Assist engineers or scientists with conducting experiments, performing analysis, developing new products or processes, constructing theory, and quality control.
- Prepare chemical samples: Prepare the specific samples such as gas, liquid or solid samples in order for them to be ready for analysis, labeling and storing samples according to specifications.
- Process data: Enter information into a data storage and data retrieval system via processes such as scanning, manual keying or electronic data transfer in order to process large amounts of data.
- Monitor chemical process condition: Monitor the conformity of the chemical process, checking all indicators or warning signals provided by the instruments such as recording instruments, flowmeters and panel lights.
- Regulate chemical reaction: Regulate the reaction by adjusting the steam and coolant valves so that the reaction is within the specified limits for explosion prevention.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of chemistry technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Chemical preservation: Process of adding chemical compounds to a product, such as food or pharmaceutical products, to prevent decay caused by chemical changes or microbial activity.
- Radiology: Radiology is a medical specialty mentioned in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC.
- High-performance liquid chromatography: Analytic chemistry technique used to identify and quantify the components of a mixture.
- Gas chromatography: The principles of gas chromatography used to analyse and separate specific compounds which go to vaporisation without decomposition.
- Nuclear energy: The generation of electrical energy through the use of nuclear reactors, by converting the energy released from nuclei of atoms in reactors which generate heat. This heat subsequently generates steam which can power a steam turbine to generate electricity.
- Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
- Radiological procedures: The radiological procedures with digital imaging and other imaging techniques.
- Risks associated to physical, chemical, biological hazards in food and beverages: Interpretation of laboratory tests for parameters affecting food safety taking into account risks associated with physical, chemical, and biological hazards in food and beverages.
- Chemistry: The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.
- Gel permeation chromatography: Polymer analysis technique which separates the analytes on the basis of their weight.
- Mass spectrometry: Mass spectrometry is the analytical technique that makes use of the measurements performed at gas-phase ions and the ratio mass-to-charge.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of chemistry technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Measure chemical substance viscosity: Measure the viscosity of the mixed ingredients by using a viscosimeter.
- Manage chemical reagents: Manage the handling, addition, and disposal of chemical reagents used to help separate products from raw mineral.
- Use chromatography software: Use the chromatography data system software which collects and analyses the chromatography detectors results.
- Perform risk analysis: Identify and assess factors that may jeopardise the success of a project or threaten the organisation’s functioning. Implement procedures to avoid or minimise their impact.
- Conduct laboratory chemical research on metals: Perform all laboratory chemical quality control tests for basic metals under national and international standards, applying methods of preparing samples and procedures of doing the tests. Analyse and interpret tests results.
- Analyse scientific data: Collect and analyse scientific data resulting from research. Interpret these data according to certain standards and viewpoints in order to comment on it.
- Conduct quality control analysis: Conduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.
- Develop chemical products: Research and create new chemicals and plastics used in the production of a variety of goods such as pharmaceuticals, textile, building materials and household products.
- Follow nuclear plant safety precautions: Comply with nuclear power plant safety procedures, policies and legislation to ensure a safe working environment for all employees, and to ensure the safety of the public.
- Advise on manufacturing problems: Advise the visited industrial plants on how to better oversee production to ensure that the manufacturing problems are correctly diagnosed and solved.
- Document analysis results: Document on paper or on electronic devices the process and the results of the samples analysis performed.
- Test chemical auxiliaries: Conduct analysis to characterise the content of the mixtures of chemical auxiliaries. These include the determination of the water content, the amount of active principles declared, looking for potential hazards, etc.
- Work safely with chemicals: Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.
- Develop scientific research protocols: Develop and record the procedural method used for a specific scientific experiment in order to enable its replication.
- Archive scientific documentation: Store documents such as protocols, analysis results and scientific data using archiving systems to enable scientists and engineers to take methods and results from previous studies into account for their research.
- Maintain chemical mixers: Tend the equipment and mixers used for chemical substances mixing having as the end products goods used in cleaning, bleaching, finishing carpets or other textiles.
- Apply liquid chromatography: Apply the knowledge of polymer characterization and liquid chromatography in the development of new products.
- Write scientific papers: Present the hypothesis, findings, and conclusions of your scientific research in your field of expertise in a professional publication.
- Operate scientific measuring equipment: Operate devices, machinery, and equipment designed for scientific measurement. Scientific equipment consists of specialised measuring instruments refined to facilitate the acquisition of data.
- Apply organisational techniques: Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.
- Conduct chemical testing on basic metals: Perform examinations and tests on all kinds of metals in order to ensure high quality and chemical resistance.
- Use Microsoft Office: Possess the ability to work with the standard programs contained in Microsoft Office at a capable level. Create a document and do basic formatting, insert page breaks, create headers or footers, and insert graphics, create automatically generated tables of contents and merge form letters from a database of addresses (usually in Excel). Create auto-calculating spreadsheets, create images, and sort and filter data tables.
ISCO group and title
3111 – Chemical and physical science technicians
References
- Chemistry technician – ESCO
- Chemical Technicians : Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Chemical Technician Job Description – Betterteam
- Chemical Technician Job Description – StateUniversity
- What Does a Chemical Technician Do? – Indeed.com
- Featured image: By U.S. Air Force photo by Phil Sunkel, Public Domain